Science now shows that herbicide-resistant weeds are aggressively taking hold in much of the U.S. and threaten U.S. crop production and profit. More than half of U.S. farms are battling glyphosate resistant weeds. A survey by Stratus Ag Research shows glyphosate resistant weeds were found in 33 million acres in the U.S. in 2010. The acreage jumped to 61 million in 2012. Today, more than half of U.S. farms are battling the problem.

The toxic chemical glyphosate has been viewed as a cheap, effective way to grow weed-free soybeans.“But those days are over, as weed resistance to glyphosate is becoming more widespread”warns Iowa State University weed scientist Mike Owen.

“One of the greatest threats to yield loss and food security - on a local and global basis - is the development of herbicide-resistant weeds,” said Arlene Cotie, Bayer Crop Science. “It is a growing global problem that is changing agronomic practices and threatens the long-term viability of economical weed control and food production.”

“In the Midwest, we see new populations [of weeds] every season that demonstrate resistance to numerous herbicide classes,” said Aaron Hager, University of Illinois. “We find resistance is not necessarily limited to one herbicide, but in certain species we find resistance to multiple herbicides, effectively eliminating many of the options farmers would have to try to control these populations in their crops.”

“Herbicide-resistant weeds are an unconventional threat to food production that we must fight with conventional and unconventional methods,” said Bayer’s Harry Strek. “Accumulated resistance to multiple herbicides complicates the matter. We recognize that chemicals are often only a short-term solution.”

As you see from the above quotes, the toxic chemistry industry is now acknowledging the horrible consequences of GMO’s and glyphosate. Maybe if we could get more people, especially the producers, to read our “Organic Management for the Professional Book”, then things would move along the right direction a little faster.